CHICAGO -- UIC will look to extend its six-game Horizon League winning streak this weekend when the Flames travel to Ohio for a three-game series against the Wright State Raiders. The set begins Friday, May 4 at 5:00 p.m. CT.

UIC (24-14, 11-7 Horizon League) has not dropped a contest against a conference foe since falling to Wright State (29-13, 16-5 Horizon League) by a tight score of 2-1 on April 8 at Granderson Stadium. The Raiders took two-of-three in that series after the Flames won the opening game, 2-1, on April 7. Since that series in early April UIC has gone 6-0 in League play with a road sweep at Northern Kentucky (April 20-22) and one at home against Milwaukee (April 28-29).

The Flames used a high-powered offense to take all three games against the Norse. The squad pounded out 48 hits, including 14 for extra bases, and scored 36 runs over the three-game sweep. Last weekend against Milwaukee, it was the pitching that was dominant. UIC threw three shutouts against the Panthers, two of which came in complete games by starting pitchers Ryan Campbell and Charlie Cerny. Jacob Key threw 7.0 scoreless innings in the series finale and teamed with relievers Noah Masa and Alex Padilla to allow only two hits. The five pitchers used in the series against Milwaukee allowed only nine hits and did not walk a batter in 27.0 innings.

In the last six conference games UIC is batting .327 as a team with 18 extra-base hits and 7.8 runs per game. Alex Dee is batting .500 (7-of-14) with five RBI and seven total bases in that span. Dominic Smith is hitting .476 (10-of-21) and slugging .714 with a team-high nine RBI in the last six Horizon League games. He is the reigning Horizon League Batter of the Week after knocking in six runs against Milwaukee last weekend.

The pitching staff, which ranks seventh in the NCAA in ERA entering the weekend, allowed 13 runs in the series at NKU and none against UWM. The two foes combined to bat .197 against the Flames.

Wright State has won five games in a row and 11 of its last 12. The Raiders own the conference's top batting average with a mark of .297, while scoring a League-best 320 runs, which is 93 more than the second-place club. The pitching staff is second in the Horizon League behind UIC in both ERA (3.94) and opposing batting average (.241).

Wright State owns a 3.5-game lead on the Flames in the Horizon League standings entering the weekend. Both teams have nine conference games remaining in 2018, including this weekend's set.

Probable Starting Pitchers (UIC vs. Wright State)
Friday: RHP Ryan Campbell (6-2, 1.65 ERA) vs. RHP Ryan Weiss (7-2, 3.93 ERA)
Saturday: RHP Charlie Cerny (4-1, 0.70 ERA) vs. RHP Caleb Sampen (2-0, 4.05 ERA)
Sunday: RHP Jacob Key (3-4, 2.95 ERA) vs. LHP Zane Collins (5-1, 4.08 ERA)